Vibro-energy mill



A1181 23, 1966 Y R. K. M KIBBEN 3,268,177

VIBRO-ENERGY MILL Filed Aug. 27. 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l .216 1 INVENTOR.

Aug. 23, 1966 R. M KIBBEN 3,258,177

VIBRO-ENERGY MILL Filed Aug. 27. 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 P 3,263,177 [CePatented August 23, 1966 3,268,177 VEBRO-ENERGY MILL Richard K.McKihben, La Canada, Califi, assignor to Southwestern EngineeringCompany, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Aug. 27,1963, Ser. No. 304,832 6 Qlaims. (Cl. 241-475) This invention relates tovibro-energy mills, that is, to mills which are vibrated at highfrequency to perform grinding, deburring, polishing, and similaroperations.

Included in the objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a vibro-energy mill in which the mill chamber isannular in form and incorporates a rotary vibrator rigidly connectedtherewith; the mill chamber being supported by a set of springs locatedwithin the annulus formed by the mill chamber, and in proximity to thevibration null point established when the mill is vibrated.

Second, to provide a vibro-energy mill which, by reason of the fact thatthe mill chamber is spring-supported in proximity to the vibration. nullpoint, operates essentiallyas if it were freely suspended, and transmitsa minimum of vibration through the springs to the supporting structure.

Third, to provide a vibro-energy mill wherein the motor drive isindependent of the mill and free from the vibrations produced thereby,and which is connected to the mill by a drive means passing through thevibration Illllil point so that the drive means is not adverselyafiected by vibration of the mill.

Fourth, to provide an annular vibro-energy mill which isspring-supported near its upper end from a central, tubular pylon, andwhich incorporates a novelly arranged rotary vibrator rigidly connectedto its lower end and iocated within but clearing the walls of the pylon,so that the vibrator is in coaxial relation to the pylon -for driveconnection to a motor supported directly on the pylon.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter,reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the vibroenergy mill;

FIG. 2 is a transverse, sectional view taken through 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse, sectional view taken through 33 of FIG. 1.

The vibro-energy mifll includes a pylon structure 1 having a circularbase plate 2 and an upstanding base tube 3. The base tube is reinforcedby radiating gussets 4. The upper portion of the base tube 3 is providedbetween the gusse-ts 4 with axially extending slits 5, the margins ofwhich are reinforced.

Mounted on the base tube 3 in coaxial relation therewith is an extensiontube 6 having axial slits 7 in alignment with the axial slits 5, andforming therewith a plurality of accommodation or clearance slots. Theconfronting ends of the base tube 3 and extension tube 6 are providedwith mating flanges S which receive bolts, not shown, for securing thetubes 3 and 6 in rigid, axial relation.

The upper end of the extension tube 6 is provided with an internalflange 9 which supports a cylindrical motor mount 10 on which is secureda motor 11.

The pylon structure 1 is surrounded by an annular mill structure 12defining an annular chamber 13 open at its upper end. The annularchamber 13 is formed by a radially outer Wall 14 and a radially innerwall 15 which are connected by a semi-toroidal bottom wall 16. The upperextremity of the inner wall 15 is provided with a flange 17 Fittedwithin the upper end of the mill structure 12 is a supporting sleeve 18having an external upper flange 19 overlying and secured to the flange17. The lower extremity of the supporting sleeve 18 is provided with aninternal flange 20 confronting the internal flange 9 of the pylonstructure 1. Interposed in the flanges 9 and 20 is a ring of springs 21.The springs 21 provide a yieldable support for the mill structure 12.

The bottom end of the mill structure 12 is provided with an annularbottom plate 22 having depending and laterally inwardly extendinggussets 23, which project through the accommodation slots formed by theslits 5 and 7 and are joined to a cylindrical vibrator case 24 disposedwithin the lower portion of the pylon structure 1.

The vibrator case 24 is provided with end covers 25 having bearings 26therein. The bearings 26 journal a vibrator shaft 27 which carries anupper eccentric weight 28 and a lower eccentric weight 29. The uppereccentric weight 28 is located within the case 24 adjacent the upperbearing. The lower eccentric weight 29 is disposed below the caseadjacent the lower hearing. The eccentric weights may be secure-d invarious angular relations with each other.

The vibrator shaft 27 and the shaft of the motor 11 are in coaxialrelation and are joined by a drive shaft 30 having universal joints 31and 32.

Substantial clearance is provided between the pylon structure 1 and theinner wall 15 of the mill structure 12. At a suitable location near thelower end of the mill structure 12, bumper pads 33- are provided toabsorb impacts occasioned by the mill structure 12 striking the pylonstructure 1. The upper end of the mill structure 12 is provided with acover 34 held in place by a suitable clamp band 35.

If the mill structure 12 is to be used for grinding purposes, grindingmedia (usually in the form of ceramic cylinders) is placed within theannular chamber 13 and an appropriate quantity of the material to beground is added. Water or other liquid also may be added, if the mill isto function as a wet grinding mill. If the mill is to be used indeburring or polishing, or similar operations, deburring or polishingmedia and the workpieces to be treated are placed in the chamber 13.

Operation of the vibro-energy mill is as follows:

The proportions of the pylon structure 1 and the mill structure 12, aswell as the location and masses of the eccentric weights 28 and 29, areso related that on rotation of the eccentric weights the mill structure12 tends to vibrate about a null point located centrally in the regionoccupied by the springs 21. As a consequence, the deflection of thesprings 21 in response to the vibration of the mill structure 12 isreduced to a minimum. Under operating conditions, the vibration impartedis in the order of a small fraction of an inch, much less than the spacebetween the bumper pads 33. When the mill is started or stopped, atransient gyration occurs which at times causes engagement of the bumperpads 33.

It will be noted that the motor 11 is supported entirely from the pylonstructure 1, and therefore is free of vibration. Also, it will be notedthat the upper universal joint 31 is located approximately at thevibration null point so that vibration of the mill structure 12 has noeffect on the drive.

While a particular embodiment of this invention has been shown anddescribed, it is not intended to limit the same to the exact details ofthe construction set forth, and it embraces such changes, modifications,and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as comeWithin the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A vibro-energy mill, comprising:

(a) a tubular pylon structure having clearance slots in the lowerportions of its side walls;

(b) a ring of supporting springs at the upper end of said pylonstructure;

() an annular mill chamber structure surrounding the upper portion ofsaid pylon structure and supported by said ring of springs;

(d) a vibrator unit disposed in the lower portion of said pylonstructure;

(e) gussets extending from said vibrator unit to said mill chamberstructure through said clearance slots, for rigidly connecting said millchamber structure and said vibrator unit;

(f) and a motor for driving said vibrator unit mounted on said pylon.

2. A vibro-energy mill, comprising:

(a) a tubular pylon structure including a base tube and an extensiontube separably connected in endto-end relation and definingthere'between longitudinal clearance slots;

(b) a ring of supporting springs at the upper end of said pylonstructure;

(0) an annular mill chamber structure surrounding the upper portion ofsaid pylon structure and supported by said ring of springs;

(d) a vibrator unit disposed in the lower portion of said pylonstructure; (e) gussets extending from said vibrator unit to said millchamber structure through said clearance slots, for rigidly connectingsaid mill chamber structure and said vibrator unit;

(if) and a motor for driving said vibrator unit mounted on said pylon.

3. A vibro-energy mill, comprising:

(a) an annular mill chamber structure defining a central tubular column;

(b) a vibrator unit in the lower portion of said column, for vibratingsaid mill chamber structure about a null point located centrally in saidcolumn near its upper end;

(0) and yieldable means within said column for supporting said millstructure in proximity to said null point.

4. A vibro-energy mill, comprising:

(a) a vertically disposed annular mill chamber structure defining acentral tubular column;

(b) a coaxial rotary vibrator unit including a case rigidly connected tosaid mill chamber structure coaxially with said column, and axiallydisplaced rotary eccentric masses for vibrating said mill chamherstructure about a null point located centrally in said mill structurenear the upper end of said column;

(0) and yieldable means within said column supporting said willstructure in proximity to said null point.

5. A vibro-energy mill, comprising:

(a) a vertically disposed annular mill chamber structure defining acentral tubular column;

(b) a coaxial rotary vibrator unit including a case rigidly connected tosaid mill chamber structure, and axially displaced rotary eccentricmasses for vibrating said mill chamber structure about a null pointlocated centrally in said column near its upper end;

(c) a fixed supporting structure extending into said column to a regionnear said null point;

(d) and a ring of springs interposed between said supporting structureand said mill chamber structure adjacent said null point to permitvibration of said mill chamber structure about said null point.

6. A vibro-energy mill, comprising:

(a) a vertically disposed annular mill chamber structure defining acentral tubular column;

(-b) a coaxial rotary vibrator unit including a case rigidly connectedto said mill chamber structure, and axially displaced rotary eccentricmasses for vibrating said mill chamber structure about a null pointlocated centrally in said column near its upper end;

(0) a fixed supporting structure extending into said column to a regionnear said null point;

(d) a ring of springs within said column interposed between saidsupporting structure and said mill chamber structure adjacent said nullpoint to permit vibration of said mill chamber structure about said nullpoint;

(e) a motor carried by said supporting structure and disposed above saidnull point;

(f) and a drive means interconnecting said motor and vibrator andpassing through said null point.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,018,789 10/1935Jorgenson 25972 2,693,320 11/1954 Smith 241l75 2,882,024 4/1959 Behrens25972 X 3,100,088 8/1963 Podmore 241 X 3,177,554 4/1965 Larkfeldt 25972X ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner.

H. F. PEPPER, Assistant Examiner.

1. A VIBRO-ENERGY MILL, COMPRISING: (A) A TUBULAR PYLON STRUCTURE HAVINGCLEARANCE SLOTS IN THE LOWER PORTIONS OF ITS SIDE WALLS; (B) A RING OFSUPPORTING SPRINGS AT THE UPPER END OF SAID PYLON STRUCTURE; (C) ANANNULAR MILL CHAMBER STRUCTURE SURROUNDING THE UPPER PORTION OF SAIDPYLON STRUCTURE AND SUPPORTED BY SAID RING OF SPRINGS; (D) A VIBRATORUNIT DISPOSED IN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID PYLON STRUCTURE; (E) GUSSETSEXTENDING FROM SAID VIBRATOR UNIT TO SAID MILL CHAMBER STRUCTURE THROUGHSAID CLEARANCE SLOTS, FOR RIGIDLY CONNECTING SAID MILL CHAMBER STRUCTUREAND SAID VIBRATOR UNIT; (F) AND A MOTOR FOR DRIVING SAID VIBRATOR UNITMOUNTED ON SAID PYLON.